Question

1. Describe in your own words how obesity can increase the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

b.   How can diabetes increase the risk of cardiovascular disease?

c.   How does high blood pressure increase the risk of stroke?

Answer 1

Answer 1: People with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher are considered obese. The term “obesity” is used to describe the health condition of anyone significantly above his or her ideal healthy weight. Don’t be discouraged by the term. It simply means you are 20% or more above your ideal weight, and you are not alone. Obesity significantly increases your risk of diabetes and high blood pressure, and these conditions are also intimately intertwined with heart disease. For instance, an obese person’s risk of a heart attack is 3 times greater than that of a person who has a healthy weight. Obesity is a serious, chronic disease that can have a negative effect on many systems in your body. People who are overweight or obese have a much greater risk of developing serious conditions, including - Heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, Bone and joint disease. The causes of obesity are complex. There are many interrelated factors, such as genetics, lifestyle and how your body uses energy. Learn more about the causes of obesity and risk factors. People who are obese have a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, which is also known as insulin-resistant or adult-onset diabetes. This is a condition where your blood glucose level is persistently high. In obese persons, cells of fat tissues have to process more nutrients than they can manage. The stress in these cells triggers an inflammation that releases a protein known as cytokines. Cytokines then block the signals of insulin receptors, thus gradually causing the cells to become resistant to insulin. Insulin allows your cells to use glucose (sugar) for energy. When you are resistant to insulin, your body is unable to convert the glucose into energy and you end up with a persistently high blood glucose level. Besides suppressing normal responses to insulin, the stress also triggers inflammation in cells that can lead to heart disease. Compared to people without diabetes, people who have diabetes are at higher risk for severe heart disease, such as coronary heart disease, heart failure or diabetic cardiomyopathy (heart muscle disorder).

Coronary heart disease (CHD)

In CHD, a fatty substance builds up inside the coronary arteries that supply your heart with oxygen-rich blood. This results in narrowed coronary arteries and reduces blood flow to your heart muscle.

The fatty deposits also increase the likelihood of blood clots forming in your arteries, which either partially or completely block blood flow.

CHD can lead to chest pain, an irregular heartbeat, a heart attack or even death. CHD can also lead to heart failure by weakening the heart muscle over time.

Note that heart failure does not mean that your heart has stopped. It means your heart is unable to pump enough blood to meet your body’s needs, thus requiring medical attention.

Diabetic cardiomyopathy

Diabetic cardiomyopathy is a disease that damages the structure and function of the heart. This disease can lead to heart failure and an irregular heartbeat in people who have diabetes but do not have CHD.

Answer b: Over time, high blood glucose from diabetes can damage your blood vessels and the nerves that control your heart and blood vessels. The longer you have diabetes, the higher the chances that you will develop heart disease.

People with diabetes tend to develop heart disease at a younger age than people without diabetes. In adults with diabetes, the most common causes of death are heart disease and stroke. Adults with diabetes are nearly twice as likely to die from heart disease or stroke as people without diabetes.

Answer c: Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to stroke by damaging and weakening your brain's blood vessels, causing them to narrow, rupture or leak. High blood pressure can also cause blood clots to form in the arteries leading to your brain, blocking blood flow and potentially causing a stroke.